Hermetically sealed container



" Aug. 21,Y 1934.

E. M. NOLAN HERMETICALLY SEALED CONTAINER Filed Jan. 4, y1935 INVENTOR llisrlril.

wwlwrmrnaihllalllll AT1-ORN EYS Patented Aug. 21, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in containers and more particularly to hermetically sealed cell cans. i

The primary object of the invention resides in a hermetically sealed container in which the interior `is provided into a plurality of separate compartments for the preservation of food or other substances. The advantages of such a container are apparent, as it will enable the canning of food stuffs and the like in a can unit and permit of the contents to be used as needed by the opening of the various compartments.

Another object of the invention is to provide a multi-compartment container in `which the side walls and dividing partitions are formed from a single sheet of bendable material to simplify and reduce the cost of construction.

A further object is the provision of a partitioned multi-compartment container in which the end walls are formed with outstanding ribs which provide interior channels within the end walls to receive the ends of the partition walls for hermetically sealing the compartments against each other, the outstanding ribs serving as guides or lines of demarkation to enable the severing of an end wall of any compartment to gain access to the contents thereof.

With these and other objects in view, the invention resides in the certain novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts, the essential features of which are hereinafter fully described, are particularly pointed out in the appended claim, and are illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a container constructed in accordance with the present invention, and showing one compartment open.

e 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional viewon the line 2 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view on the 1ine'3-3 of Figure 1.

Figures 4, 5, 6, and 7, are diagrammatic views illustrating various modifications.

Referring to the drawing by reference characters. and especially to the form shown in Figures 1 to 3 inclusive, the numeral 10 designates a four compartment container, the side vwall 11 and partition walls 12, 12a, 12b, and 12e, being formed from asingle piece of flat bendable material of uniform width and preferably tin. In this form the side wall 11 is cylindrical or annular in plan and one end of the sheet from which it is formed,- is bent upon itself to provide a hook ilange 13. The sheet of material is bent inwardly intermediate its ends as at 14 and thence folded upon' itself to provide an angular ange 15 which interlocks with the hook flange 13. The interlocking anges 13 and 15 extend the full length of the side wall 11 and constitutes a seam 16 which may be hermetically sealed by solder.

After forming the container body 11, the sheet of material is bent inwardly to the axis of the body as at 17 which forms the partition wall 12, after which it is bent at right angles as at 18 to extend to the inner periphery of the side wall where it is bent upon itself to provide a wall 19 which is parallel to and ilat against. the wall 18, the walls 18 and 19 forming the `partition wall 12a. The material is then bent at rightangles to the wall 19 as at 20 and folded upon itself at the 70 inner periphery of the side wall to provide a wall 2l which is at against and parallel to the Wall 20. 'Ihe walls or folds 20 and 21 constitute the partition wall 12b which is diametrically opposite the partition 12. The material is next bent at right angle to the wall 21 as at 22 and which constitutes the partition 12e which is diametrically opposite the partition 12a. The wall 22 extends radially to the side wall l1 where the terminal end is bent into an angular iiange 23 for en- 80 gagement with the said side wall 11. The partition walls 12a, 12b, and 12e where they contact with the side wall 11 are soldered as at 24 to form a bond or closed joint therebetween. By reference to Figure 3, it will be seen that the four partition walls divide the container body into four separate segmental shaped compartments 25.

The opposite ends of the body are closed by end Walls 26 and struck outwardly therefrom are crossed ribs or ilanges 27 to form cross channels 90 or grooves 28 on the inside of the end `walls for receiving the ends of the respective partition walls. The walls of the channels are tightly pressed against the partition walls to form an air tight joint between the several compartments '95 25. The peripheral edges of the end Walls 26 are formed with outstanding beads 29 which are crimped about the peripheral edges of the side Walls to secure the end walls in position and form Ian air tight joint. 'I'he beads 29 'and the rims or 100 flanges 27 are flush with each other to enable stacking of the containers, one upon the other, while the cross ribs further serve as a more stable surface for the can when stacked.

From the-foregoing description, it will be seen that a can may be formed in accordance with this invention with one end wall secured in position and the compartments lled with food stuffs or other substances to bepreserved in an air tight condition. after which the other end wall is ap- '110 three partition walls, the

plied to seal the contentsof the can. Assuming that access is desired to one of the compartments to remove the contents thereof, it is only necessary to cut one of the end walls along the two adjacent ribs 27 and thence along the peripheral bead 29, the said ribs and bead serving as guides or lines of demarkation for the respective compartments. The contents of the open compartment may be removed for use while the contents of the other compartments remain hermetically sealed. Thus the compartments may be opened as the contents of the same are needed for use and when the entire contents have been removed, the container may be dispensed with, the same as any ordinary canning tin. v

In Figure 4 of the drawing, I have illustrated a cylindrical can divided into three separate compartments and for the sake of simplicity, the sa-me is shown in diagrammatic form. The single sheet of bendable material is bent to provide the annular side wall 30, after which one end is bent inwardly as at 31 tothe axis of the annular side wall, thence outwardly at an obtuse angle as at 32 to meet the side walls, thence folded upon itself as at 33 to extend to the axial center of the annular side wall from where it is again bent at an obtuse angle as at 34, while the terminal end is bent into a flange 35 for attachment to the side wall 30. The joints between the partition walls and the side walls may of course be soldered as shown in the preferred form. By equidistantly spacing the interiory of the container body is divided into three equal size compartments 36. y

In Figure 5 of the drawing a further modification is shown, and in this form the container body or side walls are formed from a single blank of material and bent into annular formation as at 37, a portion of the material being bent inwardly to provide a central partition wall 38, the free end of the inwardly bent portion terminating in an angular flange 39 for sealing engagement with. the inner wall of the container body. In this form the partition 38 divides the interior of the container body into separate compartments 40.

In Figure 6 of the drawing, a further modifica-` tion is shown wherein the same principle is embodied in that the body and par'tition structure is formed of a single piece of bendable material. this form the numeral 41 designates the annular side walls of the container body and a portion of the material is bent inwardly of the body and 'embodiments of my invention,

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looped to provide a pair of oppositely curved partition walls 42 which divide the interior of the can body into three separate compartments 43. The inner free end of the material from which the partition walls are formed is bent at an angle to provide a flange 44 which is sealed in engagement with the inner walls 41.

In Figure '7 of the drawing, the material from which the container body and partitions are formed is bent into a square shape to provide oppositely disposed side walls 45, while a portion of the material is bent inwardly within the side walls in av zig-zag fashion to provide partition walls 46 which divide the interior of the conbodies may be of different shape and the parti' tion walls of various numbers to divide the interior of the can body into separate compartments, it will be understood that various other shapes of containers and different multiple compartments may be designed. In all forms, it will be noted that the side walls of the container body and the partition Walls for dividing compartments are formed from a single piece of bendable material.

While I have shown and described the preferred I wish it to be come within the be resorted to if understood that such changes as scope of the appended claim may desired.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, isz- A cell container comprising a hollow body formed of a single piece of stiff bendable material which is bent to form side walls and a partition structure within said side walls to divide the interior of said hollow body into separate compartments, end walls secured to the ends of said side walls, and portions of said end walls being punched outwardly to provide channels on the inside thereof for; receiving the ends of said partition structure,.the walls of said channels tightly embracing opposite sides of said partitions to hermetically seal the joint therebetween.

ELIZABETH M. NOLAN.

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the b ody into separate I 

